What does pretense mean?

Definitions for pretense
prɪˈtɛns, ˈpri tɛnspre·tense

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word pretense.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. pretense, pretence, pretending, simulation, feigningnoun

    the act of giving a false appearance

    "his conformity was only pretending"

  2. pretense, pretence, feigning, dissemblingnoun

    pretending with intention to deceive

  3. pretense, pretence, make-believenoun

    imaginative intellectual play

  4. pretension, pretense, pretencenoun

    a false or unsupportable quality

  5. guise, pretense, pretence, pretextnoun

    an artful or simulated semblance

    "under the guise of friendship he betrayed them"

Wiktionary

  1. pretensenoun

    A false or hypocritical profession, as, under pretense of friendliness.

  2. pretensenoun

    Intention or purpose not real but professed.

    without pretense of accuracy

  3. pretensenoun

    An unsupported claim made or implied.

  4. pretensenoun

    An insincere attempt to reach a specific condition or quality.

  5. Etymology: From pretensse, from prætensus, past participle of prætendere, from præ- + tendere; see pretend.

ChatGPT

  1. pretense

    Pretense is an attempt to make something appear true or real when it is not, often to deceive or impress others. It can refer to a false display of feelings, attitudes, or intentions or an insincere or false claim. It may also refer to an act of pretending or make-believe.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Pretensenoun

    alt. of Pretence

Wikidata

  1. Pretense

    The Tollan put Skaara and Klorel on trial to determine who will control the host body.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Pretense

    Same as Pretence.

Suggested Resources

  1. Pretense

    Pretence vs. Pretense -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Pretence and Pretense.

Matched Categories

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Anagrams for pretense »

  1. Petersen

  2. preteens

  3. pre-teens

  4. terpenes

How to pronounce pretense?

How to say pretense in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of pretense in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of pretense in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of pretense in a Sentence

  1. Di Carlo:

    We think that was a pretense to harass her.

  2. Dejan Stojanovic:

    Pretense cannot sustain blind power.

  3. Senator Richard Blumenthal:

    I urgently want to know how Apple and Google will assure that consumers' privacy interests are strongly balanced with the legitimate needs of public health officials during the coronavirus pandemic, a public health crisis cannot be a pretense to pave over our privacy laws or legitimize tech companies' intrusive data collection about American's personal lives.

  4. John Calvin:

    The Fanaticism which discards the Scripture, under the pretense of resorting to immediate revelations is subversive of every principle of Christianity. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency is always to bury the Word of God so they may make room for their own falsehoods.

  5. Henry Louis Mencken:

    Whenever A annoys or injures B on the pretense of saving or improving X, A is a scoundrel.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for pretense

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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"pretense." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/pretense>.

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    the verbal act of urging on
    A howdah
    B instigation
    C slur
    D maculation

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